Help the Willamette River Salmon and Steelhead

Date:

Monday, November 20, 2017

Earlier this summer ODFW released an analysis showing that ESA-listed Willamette River winter steelhead are on the brink of extinction if nothing is done to address sea lion predation below Willamette Falls. Thousands of CCA Oregon members and other conservationists have contacted the Oregon Congressional delegation in support of federal legislation to provide states and tribes new legal tools to address this serious threat. Your efforts are making a difference!

CCA Oregon remains hopeful that Congress will act on this legislation, which is essential to protecting Columbia River basin salmon and steelhead. In the meantime, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) has applied for an administrative permit to authorize limited removals at Willamette Falls under Section 120 of the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Please take just a moment to weigh in with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in support of ODFW's application.

While Congress must act on legislation to streamline the removal of problem sea lions to protect ESA-listed salmon and steelhead, current law does include a process to allow limited removals. It is critical that NOAA act quickly on ODFW's application and not require the agency to conduct more hazing, which hasn't worked.